Some people can quit drinking alcohol cold turkey, for them it's "just that easy". I did, almost 6 and half years ago. For others, it's not that easy. There are physical and psychological factors in play here. Ever seen someone addicted to alcohol that had "the shakes" in the morning? Are they shaking on purpose? No, their body is reacting to its desire for more alcohol. Can alcoholism be "cured"? No, it's a chronic disease, meaning once you're an alcoholic, you're one until the day you die. You might be a sober alcoholic, but you're an alcoholic nonetheless. The turn this thread has taken is silly. Alcoholism is a disease, whether you think it is or not. The National Institutes of Health, The Mayo Clinic, and anywhere else you bother to look will tell you it is. Perhaps you think it isn't a disease because unlike cancer (for instance, or MS, or Alzheimers, or...), you can <sometimes> stop the progression of the symptoms on your own, without any outside interdiction. Can't quit cancer on your own, unfortunately. I'll give you that. Maybe if we said this 9 times (caught) drunk driver has a "problem", and needs help with his "problem", you'd be better with that description? Bottom line, Mr. 9 times has a problem with alcohol, and he obviously isn't going to involuntarily quit cold turkey. Alcoholism is certainly to blame here, but more to blame is Mr. 9 times and his family and friends, who certainly all saw the symptons, and no one did enough (or anything) to help him. Maybe jail will help - he'll be drinking less.